Dave Mustaine Announces Gigantour 2008 & New Guitarist

Megadeth frontman Dave Mustaine has announced that his annual Gigantour will kick off April 12 in Denver, CO, with headliner Megadeth, Scandinavian death metal band In Flames, Finland’s Children of Bodom, Arizona’s Job for a Cowboy and Oakland, CA, heavy power trio High on Fire all confirmed. The 29-date trek will criss-cross North America and wraps May 22 in Phoenix, AZ.

Mustaine sums up the philosophy behind Gigantour, hailed by Revolver magazine as “the mother of all shred-fests”: “If the bands and the fans are treated well, then the entertained and the entertainers go home happy—it’s a win-win situation.” Since its inception in 2005, Gigantour has galvanized bands that emphasize true musicianship and virtuosity, offering them a new opportunity to showcase their talents. “I think that in a small way, we are cleaning up the environment of crappy bands,” he says, laughing. “All of the people that really love this kind of music know that they can count on these bands to deliver the goods this year.”

In other Megadeth news, the group has officially welcomed new guitarist Chris Broderick (Nevermore, Jag Panzer) to the band after parting ways with Glen Drover—which was hinted at back in November. “I’ve noticed [on the internet] that people are pissed with me over the way things were handled with Glen quitting the group,” says Mustaine, “but they’re gonna be pissed even more when they hear how fierce we are with Chris! Megadeth is playing at a new level.” Broderick will make his live debut with Megadeth February 4 in Finland, where the group—guitarist/singer Mustaine, guitarist Broderick, drummer Shawn Drover and James Lomenzo on bass—is kicking off a long string of international dates which wrap March 14 in Bangalore, India. The full itinerary, including Gigantour UK dates, is below. To see Broderick in action, check out http://www.chrisbroderick.com/video/fiveoctave.html.

Gigantour features bands hand-picked by Mustaine with a sharp eye on true musicianship and a heavy focus on top-notch guitarists. The first incarnation in 2005 included Dream Theater, Fear Factory, Nevermore, Life of Agony, Symphony X, Dry Kill Logic and Bobaflex, while the 2006 trek included Lamb of God, Opeth, Arch Enemy, Overkill, Into Eternity, Sanctity and the Smashup. The trek always offers a strong connection between fans and musicians.

VIP ticket packages are available—via gigantour.com, www.megadeth.com and www.ticketmaster.com—whereby fans can take a personal photo with Megadeth at an exclusive meet and greet session and receive an official tour laminate, guitar picks, etc.

For more Megadeth news, check out theliveline.com or leave a message for Dave Mustaine at 866-597-MEGA.